Take Back The City

God knows you put your life into its hands

and its both cradled you and crushed

But now it's time you make your own demands

Take back the city for yourself tonight

I'll take back the city for me

 

"Do you like Dublin?" He asked me as we sat on his couch on main street.

I hesitated for a long time making a series of unsure facial expressions.

"Parts of it." I carefully answered.

To be truthful, I didn't know if I liked Dublin.

Cities are busy and dirty.

Cities are loud and rushing..

and as a quiet girl somedays cities were too much for me.

But other days I fed off the energy.

Dublin brought me to life.

Now looking back, arriving at Heuston station from Killarney was the greatest thing that happened to me during my trip.

I got more love from Dublin than any other city I've been to.

It never was a disappointment.

There is one morning still etched clearly in my memory.

It had begun to rain and my friend and I scurried down the street looking for the place that served free Irish coffee.

My bones chilled. My feet were cold and tired.

At last we walked into our destination;  a bar called O'Sullivans.

The steaming cup of coffee met my lips as the drizzle outside turned into a torrential downpour.

Colourful umbrellas popped up and people hurried past on the rocky roads outside.

The drink warmed my soul and Dublin won my heart.

If you walk into O'Sullivans bar today, my dollar is taped up on a shelf among other people's foreign money.

In golden marker the words "I love you" can be seen.

The bartender who I gave the dollar to was over the moon as he read it.

With red cheeks and sparkling eyes he teased me with raised eye brows.

"You love me?!"

"Yes!" I replied with an adoring smile.

With that, he later took me in his arms and we got a picture together.

The rain stopped, the sun came back out, and off my friend and I went to further our adventure.

Later on that day, a man watched me walk down the street in my dress.

He watched me so closely that he nearly crashed into the car in front of him.

Another person in his car cranked his music in a traffic jam and I happily moved to the beat, which he found very amusing.

As I walked along and as the car line inched he was someone I wished I could have gotten to know.

At home this summer, I kept thinking I had failed and had no love from Ireland, but as I remembered Dublin I was proven wrong.

My favourite historical Irish figure; Sean Heuston was born in Dublin.

I almost feel as though he very much owns Dublin, and knowing that makes me love the city even more.

I realized Dublin represented so much more than I thought.

It had been through fires and destruction, evil and darkness, so many had attempted to take it down..

but it always stood through it all.

Just like me.

Today, Dublin still stands tall and proud.

The bridges glow at night and life is one big celebration.

There are little sorrows if you look around with your soul.

Here's to you Dublin.

You are one city I will always cherish.

The city I'll always take back over and over again.

Author's Note